


What is Never Said

by DaniCarli



Series: MatPat, Nikita, and their Well-Endowed SAE Misadventures [1]
Category: Escape the Night (Web Series), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Action, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Gore, Both being badasses, Brotp, Companionable Snark, Competitive banter, Coping, Crime Fighting, Crying, Danger, Dealing With Failure, Dragons, Everlock, Explosions, Favorite Brotp, Film References, Fire, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Funny, Magic, Male-Female Friendship, Matt being a nerd, Mentions of Death, Mission Fic, Nikita being a bad bitch, Other, Post Season 4, Post-Loss, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Swearing, Time Travel, Vulnerability, first mission as SAE members, intense as always, sword fights, unadmitted feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-05
Packaged: 2020-11-23 19:36:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20895011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaniCarli/pseuds/DaniCarli
Summary: A month after Purgatory, Nikita and Matt are sent on their official first mission as SAE members.  As they get into the action, the former Troublemaker must come to terms that sometimes, there are things that are out of her control.  Will she hide behind her bad bitchery, or will she accept such vulnerability?





	What is Never Said

**Author's Note:**

> Set Post-Season 4 of Escape the Night, spoilers are mentioned.
> 
> Warning: Lot of swearing, violence, blood, and triggers of PTSD.

Nikita really hates waiting. It’s always the worst.

When she joined the Society Against Evil, Nikita thought she was mostly going to kick ass, murder some evil bitches, and look hot while doing it. No one mentioned that it also included sitting around and waiting.

Of course, the last time Nikita sat on her ass and waited was a month ago, when Operation: Save Dead Friends in Purgatory went haywire. Her and Matt eventually got in on the action, but the rest of the time was the agonizing wait for Joey and the others to open the portal and save themselves.

But she didn’t think it would be a recurring theme _every time_!

“Every mission begins with a recon,” Matt explains behind her as they set up base in the remote cabin they found at their destination. “The target isn’t always on-sight. Majority of the time is basically a stakeout. We just wait.”

“Not for two hours, though!” Nikita rolls her eyes. “That shit is boring. Couldn’t the Society have sent us in just as the action’s beginning?”

“And jump right into a war zone without surveillance and a plan? Come on, Nikita, there’s a difference between bravery and recklessness. Not to mention that this our first mission without the babysitters, so we have a lot going for us.”

Nikita knows Matt’s right. This is their very first mission as Society Against Evil members without their mentors, Jael and Ryu, accompanying them, and they can’t fuck it up. Again, there was the time her and Matt were magically transported to Purgatory to assist their friends as guardian angels, but that doesn’t really count. And in Nikita’s mind, that mission didn’t go as well as she wanted. Bretman survived, thankfully, but they didn’t retrieve everyone as planned. 

Colleen also survived surprisingly, which was fine were it not for the fact that Nikita technically killed her (again) in the Greek maze. She didn't actually murder Colleen, unlike the Maiden of Madness incident in Everlock, but she did sabotage the other girl in order "to win" and then stood by as the Minotaur killed the Duchess. Because of that, Colleen now holds an unforgivable grudge against Nikita and made it _very_ clear that she was never going to let the beauty guru forget it. Since that night, the former Troublemaker has avoided the older woman. 

Then there's the main reason she and Matt went with Joey on this rescue mission: to save the best friends that they lost in Everlock. Matt reunited with Rosanna, but Manny was nowhere to be found. Nikita remained hopeful Joey would find him and save everyone in the end. But as soon as Colleen and Bretman walked through the portal as the only survivors, it was clear both Matt and Nikita lost their best friends once more. This time, it was for good.

Then there’s Joey, who didn’t even make it back from the mission. Whether he’s dead or not, Nikita isn’t sure, but at the same time, it’s _Joey_. He’s like a cockroach that never dies. It would not surprise her if he popped up again. But as terrible as it sounds, Nikita kind of hopes that Joey never comes back. Not because she’s disappointed in his failure to save everybody, but after Matt learned how Rosanna died (or more like how Joey betrayed and got her killed, courtesy of Colleen), the former Detective developed major resentment towards their (former) friend. Seeing Matt that angry was a terrifying sight, even for Nikita. Ever since, the two, along with Purgatory's survivors, had to deal with the fallout of what happened.

Now here they are, a month later, on their first _actual_ mission, and Nikita is really itching for some action. The Society caught wind of a disturbance in the Hungarian mountains during World War I, and the Society’s higher ranks suspected that a source of evil is being guarded there. Jael and Ryu convinced their authorities that the two were ready and assigned Matt and Nikita to eliminate the threat and capture the leader, dead or alive. The residents in the nearby village are too afraid to venture into the woods, so that’s one less thing for the YouTubers to worry about.

Gripping the katana that’s strapped to her back, Nikita turns to her partner, who is fiddling with the journal given to them, as he sets up the trap to lure in the monsters.

“You sure everything is right?” Nikita asks, her snark slipping through her tone.

Matt looks up, his side-eye presenting annoyance. “For the twentieth time today, Nikita, _yes_! No offense, but one of us actually paid attention to the training for spells and rituals. Maybe if you did your homework too, you’d also be prepared.”

His returned sarcasm makes Nikita chuckle. “Honey, I’m street smart and rely on my wits. I have you to stick to the book smarts and nerdy knowledge. That’s why you’re the brains and I’m the brawn!”

Matt lets out a small sigh. “Whatever you say, Babydoll.”

Nikita smirks as she adjusts her SAE outfit, inspired by her favorite character from _Sucker Punch_, blonde wig and all. Despite their competitive banter, the two of them make a great team.

Ever since they survived the 1970s, both Matt and Nikita have proven to be strong fighters, the will to survive at all costs. They took their trauma and losses and used it to strengthen themselves. So when Joey invited them to join the Society Against Evil and save their friends, both immediately took the offer. 

As for their newfound relationship, it’s pretty complicated. While both she and Matt are so alike in determination and competitiveness, they couldn’t be any more different.

Nikita goes on instinct and does whatever needs to be done to achieve a task, especially if it means that she’ll _win_ in said task. She's fearless, not afraid to get dirty, and doesn't hesitate when making choices, even ones that are unorthodox and frowned upon. She’s a “shoot first, ask questions later” kind of gal.

Matt is the logical one. He’s the one to go “hey, let’s stop and think this over before barreling into danger.” He thinks before he acts, and he makes a plan to avoid unnecessary chaos. Most of all, Matt is the one who won’t cross certain lines, even if it’s the easier route to achieving a goal. No matter how hard things get or what shit is thrown at him, Matt has shown he’s an honorable man. It surprises Nikita that despite what happened to her survival partner back in Everlock, he never gave into his dark side. Somehow, he remained so innocent, while she invited her darkness in and got massive amounts of blood on her hands. Not that she minds; _someone_ had to take the moral high ground.

The theorist has grown on her, but Nikita won’t say they’re close buddies, not like how she is with Bretman and…

_Oh crap! Here we go again!_

It still hurts Nikita to think about Manny. His hurt and betrayed eyes still haunt her every day, and it has amplified ever since she failed to bring him back from Purgatory. It was a miracle she didn’t lose Bretman, but she almost did and that was a _big_ almost. Ever since, Nikita refuses to let anyone else get close to her.

She and Matt may be partners, and they do have a bond from surviving the town from Hell. But that’s all that is. It’s a professional relationship, nothing more, nothing less. Even when he makes her smile with his stupid dad jokes and theories, Nikita can’t allow him near her heart. She will never open that door again. Besides, she still has Bretman, and apparently, Matt now has Colleen which is perfect. They were already close friends with similar interests to begin with, but they now have the commonality of “I was brutally murdered, then brought back from the dead, and now I’m a fucked-up mess!” 

Not that Nikita cares about their friendship. She’s just glad that Matt finally has someone who really understands that dark shit, even if it’s Colleen Ballinger of all people.

“Nikita!”

Nikita breaks from her thoughts and turns to Matt. Sure enough, the crystal in the middle of the trap mark is glowing a vibrant red, signaling that their target has arrived.

_Fucking finally!_

Nikita unsheathes her katana, ready for the monsters to appear. She’s ready to wreak havoc and slay those bitches. Next to her, Matt picks up his weapon of choice, a foreign spear-like sword, and two blue crystals in his other hand.

As he hands her a crystal, the blonde notices Matt’s humorous eyes are now replaced with sincerity.

“Remember, you have to place the crystal against their foreheads; it will weaken them long enough for you to stab them through the heart,” the older man reminds her once again. “The leader is the one with the purple hues in their irises, so they won’t be hard to miss. That’s the one you want to stab with the _crystal_, which will incapacitate them. But be careful. Aside from the obvious danger, their breath also contains a deadly toxin, so if they breathe on you, game over!”

Nikita sighs with irritation, snatching the crystal from Matt’s hand. “Yeah, yeah, I get it, _Dad_! I actually paid attention to that part with Jael.”

Matt shrugs. “Just reminding you. And most importantly, we _have_ to stick together! Make sure the other is go--”

“I get it!” Nikita snaps, annoyed past her normal annoyance. She understands that Matt’s just checking things over like he always does, but Nikita’s not stupid; he doesn't need to remind her every five minutes. She does pay attention to these kind of things. It prevents her from getting dead or got. And as a bad bitch, she has a reputation to live up to.

Matt raises his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, just reminding for the both of us.”

He takes his position by one of the cabin windows. Despite her professional manner, Nikita can’t help but feel bad for giving attitude. 

_Once the mission is completed, I’ll apologize. Right now, we got some demonic bitches to take care of._

As if on cue, the door to the cabin bursts open, and in walks seven of the weirdest monsters Nikita has ever seen. They have human features, but with black-bluish scaley exteriors, snout-like noses, and sharp talon-like claws for hands. Out of their mouths display a hint of green smoke, ready to ignite the atmosphere. But most of all, their eyes glare at the two Society members as if they're a barbecue waiting to happen, orange-gold ember blasting out of their irises. They are without a doubt, the creepiest and ugliest dragons Nikita has ever seen.

_This is_ really _making me want to change my name now!_ Nikita glares in disgust at the scaly creatures. As Nikita Dragun, she always took pride in her name, but not after looking at these ugly bitches. These are not the badass beasts she has loved and admired since she was a kid. They are nothing like the dragons on _Game of Thrones_. Talk about a letdown!

One among them spots the ruby crystal in the ritual altar, its purple hues blasting. That’s the leader. That’s their bitch!

“Nikita, look out!” Matt shouts to her. Nikita turns in time to see one of the dragons jump at her, its fangs bared in a hungry manner. Nikita always saw herself as a snack, but not in the kind that this dragon is looking at her for.

Nikita ducks out of the way, using her momentum to slash her katana against the belly of the beast. The dragon roars in pain, hell breaking loose as the other dragons attack both YouTubers.

Matt immediately takes one down as he slams the blue crystal against its head, driving his spear into its heart. The dragon screams as it slumps to the ground, dead.

“Sorry!” Matt yells at it as he takes on the next dragon.

Nikita rolls her eyes. He’s too pure for this!

Meanwhile, she is relishing every slash and tear. She kills one within seconds, then strikes another. Damn, she’s good!

As she kills her third dragon, Nikita glances up in time to see the leader duck out the door, the red bait in its talons.

_Oh no you don’t, bitch!_ Nikita snarls at her target as she takes off after it. She leaps out of the cabin and chases the dragon into the woods

“Nikita, wait!” Matt shouts after her, but she’s done waiting. In the moment, she doesn’t care about the rules. She doesn’t care they need to stick together. What matters is capturing their target at all costs!

Nikita runs at top speed, her combat heels digging into the dirt, her miniskirt flying against the wind. She is running so fast that it’s a miracle her wig is still attached to her head.

Nikita eventually comes to a clearing in the forest. The dragon is no longer in sight, but she knows that the bitch is there. She can sense its presence.

“I know you’re here, honey!” she tauntingly calls to it. “Why don’t you show your ugly ass and face me like the mighty beast you _think_ you are!”

Out of the corner of her eye, Nikita spots in time a flash of black scales and green smoke. Quickly, the blonde dodges the incoming dragon. She covers her head, protecting her gorgeous white sand-blonde wig, as she rolls out of the way, barely escaping the flames igniting from the dragon’s mouth.

Nikita leaps to her feet, flashing her pearly whites towards the monster. Her confidence spikes as she faces down the big guns, the one that will win her high praise from the Society Against Evil leaders. Clutching the blue crystal in her hand, katana at ready, she beckons to the dragon.

_Come to mama!_

The dragon roars as it charges towards the beauty guru. Nikita lets out her own battle cry as she runs head-on towards the dragon, and the battle becomes a contest of who will chicken out first. The two get closer and closer, until they’re nearly inches from a catastrophic end result. Then, at the last second, just as the dragon leaps at her, Nikita finds her opening.

Pushing her right leg forward, Nikita slides under the dragon, using her katana to properly direct her without losing balance. Everything becomes slow motion as Nikita looks up at the literal belly of the beast. She finds her mark, and with all her might, she thrusts the sharp end of the blue crystal upwards. The tip meets flesh as it sinks in, creating agonizing screams from the once great dragon boss.

The monster crashes to the ground and skids against a tree, the force officially taking it down.

Nikita manages to stop herself, striking a cool pose as a final touch to her badassery. She glances back at the dragon and smirks. The bitch is out cold, the glowing shards of the crystal weakening it as its body slowly goes up and down in haggard breaths.

_Target, acquired. Mission, accomplished. Beauty check, still hot. Damn, girl, I’m really killing it as SAE member!_

Nikita struts her way over to the dragon, taking in her victory. “Not so dangerous now, are ya, sweetie!” the blonde taunts it.

In its injured state, the dragon leader glances up at her, its purple eyes shooting daggers. “Quite cocky for a Society Against Evil soldier,” the dragon’s gruff voice spits at her through the pain. “You really think that you’ll come out of this unscathed?”

Nikita kneels down, making direct eye contact with the dragon. “What can I say?” she smiles. “I’m a bad bitch, you can’t kill me!”

“Maybe!” the dragon snaps. Then he becomes quiet, as if he's sensing something. A suspicious grin forms on its face. “But, can the same be said about your partner?”

Within seconds, an explosion rocks the forest. Nikita shoots her head in the sound’s direction, realizing it’s coming from where the cabin’s suppose to be. Her heart shoots through her throat.

_Matt!_

The weakened dragon lets out a cackle. “Well, that’s a shame. It really is a pity that you didn’t listen to him when he said to stay together. Guess that’s his fault for trusting an arrogant bitch like you!”

Something snaps within Nikita as she screams, slamming her katana through the dragon leader’s neck. Blood spews out as it chokes and gurgles in its final moments. The Society Against Evil recommended that the dragon leader be captured alive, but Nikita doesn’t give a shit anymore. Yanking her weapon out, she takes off towards the cabin, leaving the dragon to die alone.

Nikita practically leap-runs, taking in wide strides, doing everything to get to the cabin before it’s too late. As she arrives, she is met with a horrifying scene.

The cabin, once their home base for the mission, is now engulfed in flames, an inferno sucking in the barriers of the complex. Beside it is a dead dragon, Matt’s spear embedded in its back. As for the theorist himself, he’s nowhere to be found.

“Matt!” Nikita screams as she drops her katana and makes her way towards the blazing house. She shields herself to avoid burns and flames that could catch her, inching closer and closer, looking for an opening, a sign of life. Through the flames, Nikita is able to see a little bit inside.

The dragons they killed earlier are splayed out on the floor, one now even burning to a crisp. She searches for her partner, any hint that he’s alive. Finally, she spots a figure, or more likely, a figure with Matt’s Society jacket splayed out next to one of the dragons by a shattered window.

Nikita tries to make her way inside to save him, but the fire creates a blockade, preventing entry. There’s no way she can get in.

Suddenly, Nikita hears a pained growl and spot one of the dragons glaring at her from inside the cabin. Its eyes flame up, and immediately, Nikita knows what’s about to happen. Turning on her heels, she runs away as flames burst from the entryway, weakening the barriers. A crack is heard, and the cabin gives way. The wooden house caves and comes tumbling down, crushing the trapped occupants. Its impact creates a loud roaring echo through the woos, its forceful blast knocking Nikita to the ground. She shields herself from gusts of smoke, flying embers and debris. When it’s clear, she looks up, taking in all that remains. The cabin is now nothing but a burning bonfire.

Nikita can’t breathe, she can’t think. She’s not even in a Hungarian forest anymore. She’s back in Everlock, in the big tent, a mess of popcorn, pink streamers, and balloons. Lucy’s cackling in the background as Nikita looks at her shaking hands, hidden by the sleeves of her straitjacket. Before her, in a bullet-ridden heap, is the corpse of the boy she called her best friend, the boy she loved and sworn to protect, the boy she chose to murder to save herself.

When she comes back to reality, that same feeling of panic and dread, despair and hate, the overwhelming tightness that squeezes her heart remains. A feeling she almost felt when her other boy almost died. A feeling she prayed she would never feel again.

_No! No, not again!_

Taking in the blazing scene, Nikita tries to breathe, tries to understand what happened. Because of her.

“MatPat?” She tries to say his name, but it only comes out a forced whisper of disbelief. “Matt?”

A sob forms in her throat. With every strength she has, Nikita tries to force it back, covering her mouth with both hands to prevent it from escaping. But nevertheless, she fails. She failed.

The blonde beauty guru falls to her knees, tears raining down her makeup-clad face. She takes in oxygen, heavy breaths coming in and out to avoid breaking down. She cannot cave like the now burned-down cabin.

_I’m so sorry! I should have listened! Please, not you too!_

As the tears come down her face, controlling her despaired cries, clutching the now-charred grass, still unable to process this nightmare, coughs are heard to her left.

“Nikita?”

Nikita turns towards the sound, and a cry escapes her...but this time, it’s a joyful cry.

Limping from around a nearby shrubbery, dirty, clothes out of sorts and bit ripped, hair a shaggy mess, is Matt. He clutches his bleeding left arm in pain, but otherwise, he’s okay. Better yet, he’s alive!

“One of the dragons lit the place up as soon as you ran out!” Matt explains as he walks towards Nikita. “I managed to kill it before it got too bad, but by then, I was trapped. I had to escape out the window. Not sure how I’m going to explain to the Society about the jacket, given it’s borrowed.”

Matt says something else, but Nikita isn’t even listening anymore. She crawls to her feet and marches towards her partner. She flings her arms around his neck, clinging to him like a lifeline.

“Whoah, hey!” The tone of Matt’s shocked voice breathes against her. “Nikita, I’m fine. Sure, I cut my arm from the window glass, but it’s not too bad. I don’t know how--”

“Matt,” Nikita interrupts, squeezing him into silence, “will you please shut the fuck up and just hug me!”

Slowly, she feels Matt’s soot-covered arms wrap around her, still warm from being near the fire. He is so dirty, but Nikita really doesn’t care. She’s too relieved to care.

The two embrace silently as ashes from the cabin rain down onto the forest floor. Nikita has so much she wants to say, but right now, she doesn’t want to argue. What matters is that she got lucky again, something she never thought would happen. It was a close one, but everything’s all right now.

As they break apart, Matt looks into the woods. “The dragon leader?”

“Uh.” Nikita purses her lips nervously. “I may have shish-kebabed him. Got a little carried away.”

“I see,” Matt says, unsure of whether to push for details or not. “Well, so much for bringing it in alive.”

“We’ll just say it was self-defense,” Nikita brushes it off. “Jael did tell us that the first solo missions usually never go according to plan.”

“True,” Matt agrees. He glances at his injured arm. “I, however, am not sure how I’m going to explain this to Stephanie.”

“It’s not too bad,” Nikita assures him. “Nothing the Society can’t magically fix. She doesn’t have to know!”

Matt sighs. “Well, I did promise I'd tell her the shenanigans I go through _after_ I do them, so that she’ll know I’m alive and succeeded.”

“Fair enough,” Nikita agrees as she wipes her her last remaining tears away. “By the way, if you tell _anyone_ about the little weak moment I just had, that cut on your arm will be the least of your worries! Understood?"

Matt lets out a light chuckle, as if he expected this from her, and holds out his uninjured hand. "I swear."

Nikita is hesitant before taking his hand and the two shake on it. 

"For the record," Matt includes as they release from their shake, "there's no shame in letting your guard down."

The beauty guru quickly changes the subject. "I guess we have to retrieve the leader’s corpse and contact headquarters. This is going to be a real bitch!”

Matt takes in the chaotic scenery. “I don’t know! I’d say our first mission went pretty well.”

Nikita groans, shaking her head. “My God, bitch, I hate you!”

Matt slyly flashes his goofy grin. “I know.”

Nikita turns away, annoyed, and goes to get her katana. With her back now to her partner, she is able to flash a small affectionate smile.

**Author's Note:**

> I've said it once, I'll say it again: Matt and Nikita are without a doubt my favorite BROTP! The excitement I had when that was basically confirmed in canon was everything and I'm so going to take advantage of it.  
While I may not be a fan of Nikita's arrogant attitude, it's clear she cares about those close to her and she does have good intentions even if they don't come off that way. She absolutely has a soft spot for Matt which was shown in 4x06, and to dive in and recognize she does love him and vice versa was something I wanted to tap into. Sometimes, showing how vulnerable you are is the bravest and strongest thing a person can do and I want to do more of that in this relationship.  
Please leave a kudos, comment what you think about this one shot, and also please leave suggestions of what else I should write about, whether it's about this BROTP or another ETN relationship; I'm all for trying new things!  
Thank you, and until next time!


End file.
